The present invention relates to aerators for the treatment of liquids and, in particular, to modules which facilitate the repair and/or replacement of bearings and/or bearing seals used in liquid aerators.
Aerators for the treatment of liquid, and particularly water, are known in the prior art. Such treatment is employed to encourage aerobic bacteria activity, as in the treatment of waste water, for example. Aerators may also be employed in the treatment of water bodies generally; such as to render them more potable, suitable for food production, or to return them to their natural state.
An aerator typically has a motor, a propeller carried by a motor driven shaft, a passage for airflow to the propeller and at least one bearing to support the shaft against deflection. In addition, a typical aerator includes bearing seals in association with each of the bearings in an attempt to block liquid from the bearings.
In the aerator described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,870 issued May 3, 1988, for APPARATUS FOR TREATMENT OF LIQUIDS, in the name of Peter S. Gross, a bearing and its associated bearing seal are supported in a tubular cantilever. Both the bearing and the bearing seal are press-fitted into the cantilever with the bearing seal acting to protect the bearing from the liquid being treated. Over a period of time, the bearing and the bearing seals will wear from use. The nature of the liquid being treated may also affect the life of the bearing and/or the bearing seal. In any event, when one or both of the bearing and/or the bearing seal is damaged, or otherwise impaired by wear or use, replacement is required. However, the very nature of the press-fit by which the bearing and the bearing seal are mounted renders them very difficult to remove from the housing. This is particularly true when repairs are attempted in the field. During the replacement procedure, damage to the aerator is a major concern.